® Glossary of Terms

® CADTERNS Glossary of Terms Personal Patternmaking Program and Documentation

As used at the CADTERNS Cyber School of On-line Learning

Glossary of Terms Personal Patternmaking

CADTERNS® Glossary Terms

Personal Patternmaking Program and Documentation

Published in Canada by: CADTERNS Publications™ CADTERNS® Is the Registered trademark of CADTERNS Custom Clothing Inc. CADTERNS Publications™ is a Trademark of CADTERNS. CADTERNS Cyber School of On-line Learning™ is a Trademark of CADTERNS.

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® CADTERNS Glossary of Terms Personal Patternmaking Program and Documentation

Ready-to-Style Sloper To be ready to style, a sloper must fit according to your personal preferences for comfort and appearance. It should have patternmaking references clearly marked. CADTERNS slopers have unique Ready-to-Style markings that appear automatically. When using slopers from a different source, you can add these references manually to your slopers.

st 1 4 st The 1 4 refers to a sloper that CADTERNS calculates using only the four measurements that you enter in the Sloper Definition folder: height, bust, waist and hip. With these 4 measurements, CADTERNS calculates a range of measurements and ease values that you can preview (and change if you wish) in the Measurements folder.

Algorithm A procedure for solving a mathematical problem (as of finding the greatest common divisor) in a finite number of steps that frequently involves repetition of an opera- tion Apex The highest point of a curve such as one on the figure which occurs at a dart point. Armscye Section of a pattern into which the sleeve is fitted. Balance Stability produced by the visual “weight” distribution of contrasting or interacting elements of a garment or an outfit. Bias A diagonal line across the grain of fabric. When used to substitute crosswise or lengthwise grain in pattern placement, a bias cut will cling to the figure following body curves closely. Blocks Patternmaking blocks refer to the individual pieces that together create a full sloper. For example, a bodice sloper consists of bodice front, bodice back and sleeve blocks. Patternmaking blocks do not include facings, hems, linings or other finishing details. Bulge A convex curve on a figure created from either bone or flesh and requiring at least one dart or dart equivalent to provide shaping of fabric in order to fit the figure. CAD program Computer-Aided Drafting program enabling the user to use an enormous number of tools to draw very precise working copies of things sometimes too small to see or to large to fit the drawing surface. It enables the user to work in a scale that is comfortable while using real- world measurements.

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CADtern Any apparel pattern produced at a computer using a CAD system to draw a personal pattern based upon specific measurements can be called a CADtern.

CADTERNS The name of a specific Canadian company established for the purpose of enabling anyone to draw personal slopers based upon personal measurements for the purpose of fitting traditional garment patterns or styling new ones. Couture The business of designing, making, and selling fashionable custom-made Womenswear Couturier or A French male or female dress designer such as Yves Saint Laurent or Gabrielle Chanel who is in the busi- Couturière ness of designing, making, and selling fashionable custom-made Womenswear

Couture The business of designing, making, and selling fashionable custom-made Womenswear

Croquis A flat, 2-D sketch of a fashion model or models used to illustrate a garment or a collection of garments.

Custom In the context of patternmaking with the CADTERNS Fit First system of patternmaking, the words Custom and Personal are interchangeable. Custom clothier A garment maker or couture house that specialises in dressing individual people by fitting on a personal dressform or by a series of personal fittings. Custom clothing Apparel styled by changing shapes of individual personal slopers or blocks. Custom Grading Superimposing the style from one styled personal pattern onto the same sloper of origin personally drafted to fit a different figure and set of measurements; as if style is extracted from one styled sloper and applied to another - unstyled sloper. Custom-made Made according to personal order and individual specifications, the opposite of mass-produced Cut Closeness to the figure as determined by the amount of ease allotted. Dart Darts are the distinctively triangular elements of a pattern that once sewn, enable a flat piece of fabric to take the shape of a curved figure. Decorative Finish Finishing details of embellishment that add points of interest but are not required for functional purposes. Decorative finishes include details such as scalloped edges, lace and crocheted inserts. Decorative finishing can be applied to functional finishing details and has potential as a Signature element of design or style.

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Default Ease The amount of ease automatically calculated by a patternmaking program based upon special formulae applied to measurements used. Default Measurements Measurements that are automatically calculated based upon the input of fewer measurements entered. Design The creative art of combining and arranging elements including line, colour and texture according to principles of form and function, balance and proportion, harmony and contrast in order to achieve aesthetically pleasing and functional results. Designer A professional artisan who combines elements of design following principles of design to create a personal interpretation of a style. Digital Patternmaking Making patterns at you fingertips using a computer.

Disguise A change in appearance that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity as with disguising darts as gathers.

Drafting Precision drawing using special drawing tools to repre- sent an exact shape, or a precise scale of that shape.

Draping Draping is a method of patternmaking that is related to the drape of fabric rather than the shape of a pattern. Draped fashions are usually intended for a specific individual but can be disassembled to get a styled pattern. As with window draping, successful pattern draping requires strict attention to and effective balance of grainlines. Dressform A dressform is the shape of a figure and provides an excellent tool for use in developing and testing garment patterns. A personal dressform is created for a specific individual and enables a dressmaker to create personal garments that fit with few or no alterations. Dressmaker Person who makes clothes from cutting the fabric to finishing the garment by hand or by machine for private customers Ease A patternmaking factor used to allow extra fabric so that a garment will not be skin-tight. Ease Allotment Specific amount of ease added at a particular location on the pattern. Elements of Design Basic characteristics that can be distinguished by the senses such as sight or touch, including but not limited to colour, texture and line.

Embellishment Decoration to enhance appearance, to beautify. Entrepreneurial De- Fashion artists who sew on domestic sewing machines signers from their homes. Those who sew for others on a personal or contractual basis in exchange for money, CADTERNS Little Lessons in Personal Patternmaking - Supplement Page 5 of 10 Glossary of Terms Personal Patternmaking

goods or services. Facing An extra pattern piece that is shaped and cut to stabi- lize an outer curved edge. Sometimes the fabric can be folded instead of cut to create a facing, such as for some button and buttonhole closures. Fad A style of unusually short life characterised by a sud- den surge of popularity followed by an abrupt decline. Fashion Style of dressing that prevails among any group of per- sons, last for a year or two or for many years. Any

fashion could at one time last fifty to one hundred years but change rapidly since the 20th century. Fashion Prosumer One who participates in some or all of apparel design and production as well as consumption of the final product. Finish Details required completing a step or a pattern before proceeding or considering done. Finishing details may be functional or decorative.

Folders CADTERNS displays the three main steps for creating personal slopers in three virtual file folders. The folders are labelled Sloper Definition, Measurements and Sloper Preview. Functional Finish Finishing stages without which a step or a pattern is incomplete. Functional finishes include facings, hems and closures such as zippers or buttons and button- holes.

Generation 1 Sloper CADTERNS First-Generation™ slopers consist of the (Fist-Generation) original shapes calculated by applying patternmaking formulae to personal measurements. Womenswear Generation 1 slopers include Bodice, Skirt and Pant.

Generation 2 Sloper CADTERNS Second-Generation™ slopers of Blouse (Second-Generation) and Sheath are extensions of Bodice and Skirt slopers of Generation 1. Generation 3 Sloper Individual fashion artists develop Third-Generation (Third-Generation) Slopers. These slopers are personal Signature adapta- tions of First and Second-Generation Slopers with modifications in cut that can be repeated on other people’s slopers

Geometry Analytic Analytic AKA co-ordinate geometry is the study of geometric properties of shapes defined in terms of a coor-

dinate system. Differential Differential Geometry represents a branch of mathe- matics used to study the geometric properties of curves and surfaces Grain Direction of threads in a woven fabric. Lengthwise, long warp threads should meet shorter weft threads at right angles (90°). Haute couture (French term for High Fashion) Sample collections from

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top French designers that are reproduced individually on a custom-made basis using personal dressforms or multiple fittings and exhibiting elaborate workmanship.

Hem This typically occurs at the bottom edge of a garment where fabric is folded up to reinforce the garment and enhance its appearance.

High fashion (American term for Haute Couture) Very new, highly publicised styles and designs of limited appeal due to factors such as high cost, sophistication, and extreme contrast with previous fashion. Hinge A flexible paper joint around which a dart turns when it is in some way rearranged by rotating, combining or dividing it (them). Knock-off Apparel industry slang for copying a more expensive design in less expensive fabrics and finishes, often for mass production. Manual Patternmak- Making patterns at a suitably large workspace using ing large sheets or rolls of paper and traditional hand drafting tools including but not limited to pencils, erasers, rulers and curves.

Measurements Folder The Measurements folder is where CADTERNS lists measurements and ease allotments based on inputs and selections from the Sloper Definition folder. Any or all of these measurements can be changed if appropri- ate to satisfy personal needs and preferences. Muslin Muslin is a plain weave, unbleached cotton available in a variety of weights and often used to refine the fit of a sloper or a styled garment. A garment created to test the fit of a sloper pattern is often referred to as a muslin. A muslin garment may be ripped apart to record changes made by pinch-fitting; alternatively, as changes are made to the muslin, corresponding changes can be applied directly to the sloper pattern. Notch Notches are marks used to identify corresponding points along pattern cutting lines to identify where pattern pieces are to be joined together. This is particu- larly useful when joining convex and concave curves such as sleeves and armholes or a straight piece and a curved piece, such as a waistband and a skirt. Notches may also occur at other definable points such as centre front and placement of gathers that are dis- tributed unevenly. Traditional tissue patterns draw notches as triangular markings along seamlines, but the shape is not impor- tant. Even a little snip into seam allowances is suffi- cient to line up pattern pieces. Single notches identify front, double notches identify CADTERNS Little Lessons in Personal Patternmaking - Supplement Page 7 of 10 Glossary of Terms Personal Patternmaking

back and triple notches, when they occur are other definable locations for positioning pieces. Panache Personal sense of style that flows from the spirit and is expressed in artistic composition such as a floral ar- rangement, a garment or a wardrobe.

Pattern A pattern is to a garment what a blueprint is to a house. Without a blueprint showing where to put doors and walls, the builder might find it difficult to know where to start or what to do next. Without a pattern, many would have a difficult time figuring out how to cut and sew a garment. Pattern drafting Pattern drafting is a disciplined way to draw the outline of sewing patterns based upon the application of mathematical formulae to specific measurements. Basic slopers and styled patterns can be drafted using manual or digital drafting tools and techniques. Mass production is based upon patterns drafted for a standard and average figure as defined by the pro- ducer and varies from one manufacturer to another. Patternmaker Fashion artist who draws flat patterns to replicate a fashion illustration or the disassembled pieces of a draped garment. Pinch-fitting A way to align grainlines of fabric to make crosswise and lengthwise threads parallel and perpendicular to wall and floor. To do this: pinch fabric between thumb and forefinger or by releasing seamlines. Most apparel artists do this instinctively to relieve unsightly strain lines or to absorb excesses of fabric. This is often referred to as tweaking. Pizzazz A quality of uniqueness and daring, marked by original- ity and showing spirit and enthusiasm. A designer showing her latest collection and the garments from that collection might be described as having lots of pizzazz or as lacking in pizzazz. Principles of Design Conditions or qualities of artistic expression including but not limited to harmony and contrast, form and function or balance and proportion.

Recreational Fashion Recreational fashion designers are fashion artists who Designer routinely combine the elements of fashion design with principles of design with each sewing project. Most recreational fashion artists tend to reserve “designer” credi0t for high profile commercial fashion icons with little acknowledgement of personal design input and panache. The person who chooses the pattern, the colour and texture of the fabric and the finishing details is the designer of the project.

Rotate Move about an axis or a centre as a dart rotates around

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its dart point.

Seam allowance The part of a pattern between the cutting line and the stitching line is the seam allowance, allowing for a specific amount of extra fabric that usually appears on the wrong side of the garment.

Seam line Seam lines appear on patterns most often as black, broken or long dash lines. They mark the places to stitch and could also be called stitching lines.

Sheath Straight, narrow fitted dress without waistline, shaped to the body with vertical darts - usually collarless, often sleeveless. Signature details Elements or principles of design including fit, style and finish that are used repeatedly and with particular panache associated with a particular designer. Silhouette Profile of an ensemble seen in flat two-dimensional perspective, as it would appear in a shadow behind a lighted screen. A few common examples include A- line, bustle, hourglass, maxi, midi, and mini… Sloper Basic apparel pattern without style lines or seam allowances. Used at the beginning or repeatedly throughout the evolution of a style. Slopers may be developed from dressforms, live models, specific measurements, or other manufacturer specifications. Slopers can be used to develop patterns and create new styles. Also called standard pattern, foundation pattern, block pattern, and master pattern.

CADTERNS patternmaking slopers can be transformed into patterns by adding functional finishing details such as seam allowances, facings and hems. To set seam allowances and hems, go to the Tools menu, select Options and enter your preferences.

Sloper Definition The first of two CADTERNS input folders on which the Folder apparel type, sloper type, ease description and units are selected and the user's name and basic measurements are entered.

Sloper Preview Folder The third and final CADTERNS folder, displaying the pattern pieces drafted from inputs and calculations of the Definition and Measurements folders. Strategic Having a precise purpose or plan, a meaningful ap- proach. Style A garment or group of garments with specific characteristics that distinguish it from others of the same type. Examples of pant styles include jeans, trousers and jodhpurs. Stylist Fashion artist who determines the silhouette to which designers apply principles and elements of design with

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their own distinctive flair or panache. Some independ- ent, hi0gh profile fashion designers may also be trend- setting Stylists for their own designs.

Technique Method or procedure used to accomplish a desired aim or specific task.

Template Something that serves as a pattern or mould for recre- ating it or something similar to it.

Tiling The process of arranging pages horizontally and verti- cally into rows and columns in order to print a pattern on paper that is smaller than the pattern being printed. Toile A French word for cloth or a muslin pattern. Tweaking The action of making small adjustments by pinching or lifting in order to fine-tune a sloper or a garment by tru- ing-up grainlines to be parallel to each other and perpendicular to floor and wall. Sometimes this is called pinch-fitting.

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